1. Critical Essay Questions Which ones could I answer?

2. Prose Choose a novel or short story which features a relationship between two characters which is confrontational or corrosive. Describe how the relationship is portrayed and discuss to what extent the nature of the relationship influences your understanding of the text as a whole.

3. Prose Choose a novel in which the novelist makes use of more than one location. Discuss how the use of different locations allows the novelist to develop the central concern(s) of the text.

4. Prose Choose a novel in which a character experiences a moment of revelation. Describe briefly what is revealed and discuss its significance to your understanding of character and/or theme.

5. Prose Choose a novel in which a character seeks to escape from the constraints of his or her environment or situation. Explain why the character feels the need to escape and show how his or her response to the situation illuminates a central concern of the text.

6. Prose Choose a novel or short story which deals with true love, unrequited love or love betrayed. Discuss the writer’s exploration of the theme and show to what extent it conveys a powerful message about the nature of love.

7. Prose Choose a novel or short story with a central character you consider to be heroic. Show how the heroic qualities are revealed and discuss how this portrayal of the character enhances your understanding of the text as a whole.

8. Prose Choose a novel in which the setting in time and/or place is a significant feature. Show how the writer’s use of setting contributes to your understanding of character and theme.

9. Prose Choose a novel in which there is an incident involving envy or rivalry or distrust. Explain the nature of the incident and go on to discuss its importance to your understanding of the novel as a whole.

10. Prose Choose a novel which explores the cruelty of human nature. Show how the writer explores this theme and discuss how its exploration enhances your appreciation of the novel as a whole.

11. Prose Choose a novel in which a confrontation between two characters is of central importance in the text. Explain the circumstances of the confrontation and discuss its importance to your understanding of the novel as a whole.

12. Prose Choose a novel or short story which is set during a period of social or political change. Discuss how important the writer’s evocation of the period is to your appreciation of the text as a whole.

13. Prose Choose a novel with an ending which you found unexpected. Explain briefly in what way the ending is unexpected and go on to discuss to what extent it is a satisfactory conclusion to the novel.

14. Prose Choose a novel in which a character reaches a crisis point. Explain briefly how this point is reached and go on to discuss how the character’s response to the situation extends your understanding of him/her.

15. Prose Choose a novel or short story in which one of the main characters is not in harmony with her/his society. Describe the character’s situation and go on to discuss how it adds to your understanding of a central concern of the text.

16. Prose Choose a novel in which one character generates hostility from one or more than one character. Explain the nature of the hostility and go on to discuss how the writer’s use of it adds to your understanding of the novel as a whole.

17. Prose Choose a novel in which a technique (such as symbolism) is used. Explain how the writer uses this technique and why, in your opinion, it is so important to your appreciation of the text.

18. Prose Choose a novel which you think opens effectively. Explain how the novelist makes the opening a suitable preparation for the rest of the novel.

19. Prose Choose a novel in which an incident reveals a flaw in the central character. Explain how the incident reveals this flaw and go on to discuss the importance of the flaw in your understanding of the character.

20. Prose Choose a novel in which the fate of the main character is important in conveying the theme. Explain what you consider the theme to be and discuss how effectively the fate of the character conveys it.

21. Prose Choose a novel which you feel has a particularly well chosen title. Explain why you think the title helps you to appreciate the central idea of the text.

22. Prose Choose a novel in which a character’s failure to understand the reality of his/her situation is an important feature of the text. Explain how the writer makes you aware of this failure and show how it is important to your appreciation of the novel as a whole.

23. Prose Choose a novel which you think has a definite turning point or decisive moment. Explain briefly what happens at that moment and go on to explain why it is so important to the rest of the novel.

24. Poetry Choose a poem in which the central concern(s) is/are clarified for you in the closing lines. Show how these closing lines provide an effective clarification of the central concern(s) of the poem.

25. Poetry Choose a poem in which the creation of mood or atmosphere is an important feature. Show how the poet creates the mood or atmosphere, and discuss its importance in your appreciation of the poem as a whole.

26. Poetry Choose a poem in which the poet explores one of the following emotions: anguish, dissatisfaction, regret, loss. Show how the poet explores the emotion and discuss to what extent he or she is successful in deepening your understanding of it.

27. Poetry Choose a poem in which contrast is important in developing theme. Explore the poet’s use of contrast and show why it is important in developing a key theme of the poem.

28. Poetry Choose a poem which depicts a particular stage of life, such as childhood, adolescence, middle age, old age. Discuss how effectively the poet evokes the essence of this stage of life.

29. Poetry Choose a poem which deals with conflict or danger or death. Show how the poet creates an appropriate mood for the subject matter and go on to discuss how effectively she/he uses this mood to enhance your understanding of the central idea of the poem.

30. Poetry Choose a poem which is strongly linked to a specific location. Show how the poet captures the essence of the location and exploits this to explore an important theme.

31. Poetry Choose a poem in which the speaker’s personality is gradually revealed. Show how, through the content and language of the poem, aspects of the character gradually emerge.

32. Poetry Choose a poem in which there is a sinister atmosphere or person or place. Show how the poet evokes this sinister quality and discuss how it adds to your appreciation of the poem.

33. Poetry Choose a poem in which there is effective use of one or more of the following: verse form, rhythm, rhyme, repetition, sound. Show how the poet effectively uses the feature(s) to enhance your appreciation of the poem as a whole.

34. Poetry Choose a poem involving a journey which is both literal and metaphorical. Discuss how effectively the poet describes the journey and makes you aware of its deeper significance.

35. Poetry Choose a poet whose poems are obviously rooted in personal experience but which seem to you to have a wider significance. Show how the poet convinced you of the personal element and also made you aware of a wider significance.

36. Poetry Choose a poem which explores a powerful emotion. Show how the poet has used techniques of poetry to make the power of the emotion clear to you.

37. Poetry Choose a poem in which there is a noticeable change of mood at one or more than one point in the poem. Show how the poet conveys the change of mood and discuss the importance of the change to the central idea of the poem.

38. Drama Choose a play in which a central concern is clarified by the contrast between two characters. Discuss how the dramatist’s presentation of the contrast between the two characters adds to your understanding of this central concern.

39. Drama Choose a play in which a central character experiences not only inner conflict but also conflict with one (or more than one) other character. Explain the nature of both conflicts and discuss which one you consider to be more important in terms of character development and/or dramatic tension.

40. Drama Choose from a play a scene in which tension builds to a climax. Explain how the dramatist creates and develops this tension, ad discuss the extent to which the scene has thematic as well as dramatic significance.

41. Drama Choose a play which explores one of the following as a central concern: sacrifice, courage, integrity, steadfastness of purpose. Show how the dramatist introduces and develops the central concern in a way which you find effective.

42. Drama Choose a play in which a character behaves in an obsessive manner. Describe the nature of the character’s obsessive behaviour and discuss the influence this behaviour has on your understanding of the character in the play as a whole.

43. Drama Choose from a play which you feel is made particularly effective by features of structure such as: dramatic opening, exposition, flashback, contrast, turning point, climax, anticlimax, denouement… Show how one or more structural feature employed by the dramatist adds to the impact of the play.

44. Drama Choose from a play a scene which significantly changes your view of a character. Explain how the scene prompts this reappraisal and discuss how important it is to your understanding of the character in the play as a whole.

45. Drama Choose a play set in a society whose values conflict with those of a central character or characters. Describe this difference in values ad discuss how effectively the opposition of values enhances your appreciation of the play as a whole.

46. Drama Choose a play in which a central character is heroic yet vulnerable. Show how the dramatist makes you aware of both qualities and discuss how they affect your response to the character’s fate in the play as a whole.

47. Drama Choose a play which explores the theme of love in difficult circumstances. Explain how the dramatist introduces the theme and discuss how in the course of the play he/she prepares you for the resolution of the drama.

48. Drama Choose from a play a scene in which an important truth is revealed. Briefly explain what the important truth is and assess the significance of its revelation to your understanding of theme or character.

49. Drama Choose a play in which a character has to exist in a hostile environment. Briefly describe the environment and discuss the extent to which it influences your response to the character’s behaviour and to the outcome of the play.

50. Drama Choose a play which has a theme of revenge or betrayal or sacrifice. Show how the dramatist explores your chosen theme and discuss how this treatment enhances your appreciation of the play as a whole.

51. Drama Choose from a play an important scene which you found particularly entertaining or particularly shocking. Explain briefly why the scene is important to the play as a whole and discuss in detail how the dramatist makes the scene so entertaining or shocking.

52. Drama Choose a play in which a character makes a crucial error. Explain what the error is and to what extent it is important to your understanding of the character’s situation in the play as a whole.

53. Drama Choose a play in which the relationship between a male and female character changes significantly. Show how the relationship between the two character changes and discuss to what extent this illuminates a central idea of the play.

54. Drama Choose a play in which the conclusion leaves you with mixed emotions but clearly conveys the dramatist’s message. Briefly explain how the mixed emotions are aroused by the conclusion and then discuss how you are given a clear understanding of the message of the play as a whole.

55. Drama Choose a play which underlines how one person’s flaw(s) can have a significant impact on other people as well as on himself or herself. Explain briefly the nature of the flaw(s) and then, in detail, assess how much the character and others are affected.

56. Drama Choose a play in which an important theme is effectively highlighted by one specific scene or incident. Explain how the theme is explored in the play as a whole and then show in detail how the chosen scene or incident highlights it.

57. Drama Choose a play in which a character is seeking the truth, avoiding the truth or hiding the truth. Explain to what extent the character achieves this aim and discus how the dramatist uses the situation to reveal important aspects of the character’s role in the play as a whole.

58. Drama Choose a play which features one of the following themes: appearances versus reality; good versus evil; dreams versus reality; youth versus age. Show how the dramatist develops one of these themes and discuss how the exploration of this theme enhances your appreciation of the play as a whole.

59. Drama